Lifting-jack.



w. A. FIELD. LIFUNG MCK.

APPLICATION FIL'ED MAR-29,1916.,

Patented July 25,1916.

MSM@ Q2 i I Q1 VJILLIAM A. FIELD, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LIFTING-JACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 191e.

Application filed March 29, 1916. Serial No. 87,440.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM A. FIELD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lifting-Jacks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had. to the accompanying drawlngs.

This invention relates to improvements in lifting-jacks and particularly to that type in which is employed a worm and wormwheel through the medium of which power is applied to the vertically-movable screwthreaded shaft that supports the load.

It is the leading object of the invention to so construct a jack of this type that the worm and worm-wheel will be contained and supported within a head -mounted upon the 'upper end of the standard of the jack, and

by the provision'of suitable locking means enable such head to be held fast to the said standard while the worm and wormwheel are operated in the usual manner, or which can be instantly released from such locking engagement to permit the head to be rotated about the said standard for the purpose of imparting to the screw-threaded shaft a much more rapid longitudinal movement than could be given it from the usual operation of the worm and Worm-wheeh-the hub of the wormwheel being at all times, of course, in screw-threaded engagement with said shaft, and engagement of the worm and worm-wheel not being at any time disturbed.'

Itis further object of the invention to improve devices of this general character in various particulars, all as hereinafter fully described.

That which I believe t0 be new will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved jack; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper part of the device zontal Sections taken at lines 5 5, (5 0 and 7 7, respectively, of Fig. 4.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings in which corresponding parts are indicated by like reference eharactersf() indicates a standard, which, in the construction shown, is cylindrical in form. In its open upper end there is secured in any suitable manner a sleeve 11, the lower end of such sleeve fitting snugly within the standard and the upper portion of the sleeve fitting over the top of the standard and being of dthe same exterior' diameter as such standar 12 indicates a hollow head rotatably mounted upon the upper Vend of the standard'10. Itis rotatably secured in such position by a pin 13 that extends through the wall of the head at such an angle as to project and fit within a semicireular annular groove 14formed in the side ofthe sleeve 11 near the upper-,end thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Contained within the said rotatable head 12 is worm gearing, the worm-wheel member of which is indicated by 15 and the worm member thereof by 16, the said two members of the gearing being held at all times in mesh with each other. As clearly shown in the drawings the worm 16 is contained within a lateral extension 17 of the rotatable Head. One end of the worm-shaft is fournaled within a suitable bearing 18 (see Fig. at one end of the extension 17.` The other end of the wormshaft is enlarged and has its bearing in a nut 19 that is screwed into the end of the lateral extension 17. This enlarged end of the wormshaft is best provided with an angularly-shaped socket 2() for theJ reception of the end of a crank or other tool for turning the worm. As shown in Fig. 5, the ballA bearings at each end of the worm-shaft are provided. The Worm-wheel member 15 of the gearing has an extended hub portion through which is an opening the central portion of the wall of which is screw-threaded and through this central opening and in screw-threaded engagement with the Wormwheel passes the usual long screw-threaded shaft employed in devices of this character-such shaft being indicated by 21. The shaft has the usual longitudinal slot therein,l which is here indicated by 22, into which proj eet-s a key or other device for preventing axial movement ofthe shaft.` 1n this conl struction such device is shown as a ke 23 that is made fast to the inner. face o the sleevell (see Fig. 4). The worm-wheel 15 has the downward portion of its hub lying within a recess cut in the upper end of the sleeve 11 and between such upper end of the sleeve and the wheel are interposed a set of anti-friction ball-bearings 24, Around the upper end of the upwardly-projecting portion of the hub of the worm-wheel and forming a bearing therefor is a nut 25 that is screwed into the upper end of the rotatable head 12 and forms, inv effect, a part of such head. A set of ball-bearings 26 is int posed between the nut and the worm-whel. By reason of the provision of these two sets of ball-bearingsand the ball-bearings employed in connectiop with the worm member of the gearing much easier operation of the device is insured, as will be readily` understood.

27 indicates a short nipple, screw-threaded into or otherwise affixed to the head 12,

through which nipple passes a stem 28 (see Fig. 3), the inner end of which is adapted to enter and fit a hole 29 formed in the standard 10, and when in such hole it effectually locks the headl against rotation. Such j stern is normally pressed inward by a small coiled spring that bears at its outer end against a shoulder in the nipple and at its inner end against a collar or suitable projection on the stem 28. On the outer end of the stem is a suitable head 31 and immediately below such head and normally lying within the nipple is a projection 32 long enough so that when the stem is retracted sufficiently far to withdraw the projection 32 from the nipple the end of the stem will be entirely withdrawn frm the hole 29. As indicated in Fig. 2, the end ofthe nipple has a s'lot cut' in it as at 33 to allow of this withdrawal of the projection 32. lVhen the stem has been thus retractedthe head is to be given a slight turn to take the projection out of line with the slot and thereby the stem will be locked in its retracted position. Suchv retraction of the stem from the hole 29 in the sleeve leaves the head 12 free to be rotated on the standard 10 for the purpose hereinafter referred to.

34 indicates a second standard member which screw-threads into the standard member 10,-the object of providing the second standard member being, of course, to allow the jack to be extended to a greater extent lthan if only the member 10 were employed.

It is highly advisable, of course, to provide means for `preventing the sepa-ration of the two members 10 and 34 while .at ayor and to that end I provide an automat/ic lock which, in the construction slmwnga is formed of a light spring 35 made fast at one end in any suitable manner to the inner face of the standard member 34 near the upper end be produced.

lower end of the standard member 34 is af" 1ed a block 38 having beveled side edges that bear against inclined flan es 39 of a base 40, thus having a dove-tail t with such base, and a locking engagement of the block 38 on the base 4.0 may be had by the employment of a set-screw 41 or other suitable device. Through the base 40 at opposite sides are screw-threaded heavy bolts 42`'8e1h of which is pointed at its lower end tof better engage. with the ties, beams Aor other supports that the jack rests upon. By providn ing these pointed supporting posts it is evi dent that the bolt or bolts at one side can be made to project through the base at a greaterv or less extent than at the other side and hence give any desired inclination to the jack as a whole. These bolts also are ladapted to he adjusted to compensate for any uneven surface of a floor or other support upon which the jack rests.

In operation, with the head 12 locked against rotation by means of the stem 28 projecting into the hole 29, the screwthreaded shaft 21 would be forced up by the operation of the worm-gearing in the usual manner,-that is, through the turning of the worm by means of any'suitahle tool the worm-wheel will be turned, and, owing to its screw-threaded engagement with ithe shaft 21 and the holding of the shaft against v rotation by means of the key 23, longitudinal movement of the shaft will, of course', It frequently is desirable, however, to move the shaft at a faster rate of speed than can conveniently be produced in the ordinary way of operating the wormgear, and to accemplif-sh such more rapid movement the heal l2 that carries such gear is unlocked in th@ manner already described, A

which permits i te l ygiven rotation on the standard. During such rotation the worm 16 has no rotation on its axis and, of course, remains locked in iXed relationto the wormwheel. Being so locked in fixed relation to the wor1n-wheel it carries that worinewheel around'with it and the effect on the screwthreaded shaft 21 is the same as in the other operation except, of course, that such shaft is capable of being moved much more quickly.

It will be evident from what has been said that by my improvements I provide a lifting-jack having all the advantages pertainiso :ind in one ot them ipivoted at vivaithrradefl rod li that van hetwven the forli ot tinI migmsite ihown in lig. l. et-nerim' in on gn the rod ifi is adapted to loelfV the hands in il nie .-ziiliieleiitl,Y :geehrt-fly in their groove in he head hut loon-lnx' ennnjh to permit the, his: formed hr the tiende to he treni? ino-fed.

'they are moved h i' n'nan;\y oi a handle li iarred hy one ol the hands. and in the inner hart ot the handle is; a weint in whit-h iS amounted a pin lh that i normally held plo ierted lu' a :Spring: il! hearing against a shoulder in the no-ulet and n @lo :igaiiwt an it!) vnlx nement on thi` lnn. 'The t'nru ard end ot nin in ifortified tu ronstitnt'e a hewled denim; W which i# adapted to lie proief-tmi inv .inw wie oi" a iaige "ries ot heilen :3l tornai in the head. il); inranw of this ratriiei merhanism it will he underntrmd that h v the reriproration nlI the handle `l?! the head t2 can. he with eoinparal'im ra iitlity and ease rotated for the puriinge derrrihed, -ushe inn-pom ot iot'atingA the Standard 'tti it on the other tnndaid lll e. artly iS not; helieved that it is nerewsary ne ratchet naehxmism may he emvIn Fig, l l have shown .'-au'h tand z il@ equipped with sneh a ratrhet merlini hut owingr to the ease with whirh a .ratehet meehanifnn may he detached and an W i l' i f kh hut', one ineelniniwm with a jail, that one nienhannini hin he employed ln Fig. .t the two ratehet, mecha` nw lining' exnfftly alike ha ve their park inlieatr-.fl in; the saine referente numerala. anni@ ii rein" of fiole#` in the standard ttl ".iteluet detent to engage with are mn in Fig, il and are indirate-l i: ce. uen-:glA

i either tor turning: the head if? or the ,stanft Y`dimi l rluini as, m intention and lenire to .wt-nee in; Letters latent. ink' I. 'the romhination with a tandard and a #hatt nnnalile therein. ol worm-gearing the wheel nien lier of whieh i operntiwlv 7g ronneeled with mid shaft. and a supportingP dw, ire for `said fearing secured againnt longitudinal mon-nient relative to the standard and rotatively mounted on the standard to allow the gfearin;iw as a whole to he rotated aliout the axis ot' the shaft.

2. The romliination with a standard and a Ihatt morahle therein. ol' worni-giaring the wheel member of whirh is operatively eonnerted with said shaft. a zuppnrtingl -de- 80 rire for said :fearing` Secured against longitndinai movement relative to the Standard and rotatively mounted on the standard to :illow the gearing,lr at; a whole to he rotated ahnut, the :wir: it the shaft., and means for 85 lot-hing said upi'iortinnr derire against Such rotation.

i. The conihination with :i standard and a screw'-th1ea led Shaft longitudinali)v movalile therein. of' wmnrgearinj.: the wheel member 90 of which iS secured in Screw-threaded er1- gagenient on the shaft and a supporting deviee lor fsnid gearing rotativel)v mounted on tinA standard to allow the gearing as a whole to he rotated aliout the `hatt 95 4, The roznhination with a Standard and a Serew-threadwl shai't longitudinally movahle therein. ol' :i head mounted rotatablyv on the standard. a worm-wheel and a worm meshing therewith Said wheel heingr eeured 100 in sri-ewthreafhnl engagement upon Said shaft. and hoth said worm-wheel and worm hein;y lorated within the head and rotatingr around the axis ot' the nhal't when Said head is rotated.

5. The romhination with a Htandard and a serew-threaded ,whalt longitudinali)y movahle 'therein` ol a head mounted rotatahl)Y on the Standard. a worm-\\heel in lnaid head serured in serewwthreaded engagement upon 119l naid Shall. a worm earried l said head and in enfgng'enient' rwith said worin-wheel, and meansy Vlor loeliinl;r mid head against rotation. (i. rl`he eoniliination with n standard and a lQerewlthraded shaft longitiulinallyv movalile therein. otE means for moving` hmid yhatt roininising a worm and a worm-wluel in mesh with eaeli other. aid wormnwheel heing Serured in serewthreaded engagement 120 upon the Shaft. a Supporting niemla'r tor surh fearing rotntalil)v secured tothe stand- :1rd and adapted when rotated to :nove the. hatt while the worm and wheel remain in immovalihrelatiow to eaech other. :1nd when 125 no1; rotated permitting the rotation otc the shalt through the turning of said worm on it a;i,

it 'The romliination with a standard and i hai`t' movahle therein, of worm-gearing 180 the wheel member of which is operatively connected with said shaft, a rotatable head mounted on the standard and supporting said Worm-gearing, and ratchet mechanism connected with said head.

8. The combination with a standard an a shaft movable therein, of worm-gearing the wheel member of Which is operatively connected with said shaft, a rotatable head mounted on the standard and carrying said worn'i-gearing, and ratchet mechanism de' tachably connected With said head.

9. The combination with a standard and a screw-threaded shaft longitudinally movable therein, of a sleeve mounted in the upper end of Said standard and surrounding said shaft, worm-gearing the wheel member of which is secured in screw-threaded engagement on the shaft and bears against said sleeve, and a head rotatably mounted on the standard and inclosing said gearing.

10. The combination with a standard and a screw-threaded shaft longitudinally movable therein, of Worm-gearing the Wheel member of which is secured in screw-threaded engagement on the shaft, a head rotatably mounted on the standard and inclosing said gearing, a nut screw-threaded into the upper end of the head, and a sleeve mounte i in the upper end of said standard, said nutl and sleeve forming bearings for the said wheel member ot' the Worm-gearing.

WILLIAM 1 FlEIAD. 

